Reader Submission

‘Comedy scriptwriting doesn’t just teach literacy, it gives young people the confidence and creativity to see themselves as writers, performers and storytellers.’ Bridget Hanna – Education Manager at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation – shares how comedy scriptwriting brings energy, laughter and collaboration into the classroom and helps develop literacy and language skills.

‘Teaching is filled with social and emotional interactions. Supporting teachers to feel more confident in managing these situations appears to be vital for their wellbeing.’ In today’s article Rebecca J. Collie shares her new research that examines teachers’ social-emotional confidence, the role of school leader support in fostering it, and how this confidence is associated with wellbeing later on in the school term.

Students learn best in calm, organised and purposeful spaces. Classrooms can sometimes be overwhelmed by good intentions; every wall covered in colour, slogans and displays competing to be seen. In today’s article, Victorian teacher and designer Andressa Bassani shares 4 design principles to help turn classrooms into spaces that not only look good but work for supporting and celebrating student learning.

‘There is no shortage of professional commitment in schools, just hours in the day. So, what might it look like to craft professional learning in a way that tries to respect both time constraints and hunger for quality?’ In this reader contribution, Lia Sharma – Head of Professional Growth at Roseville College, NSW – shares a differentiated model.

‘The feedback from students reflects a growing desire for partnership. They aren’t just asking for permission to use AI, they’re asking for guidance, collaboration, and trust.’ Georgia Wignall shares new insights from a Queensland school research partnership on why students are leaning on AI tools and how they want teachers to support them.

St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Williamstown, Victoria, has a 10-year plan to improve its playground and outdoor spaces. In today’s article, principal Anthony Hockey shares what the school has done to improve the playgrounds so far, what is to come next, and the noticeable impact these changes have already had on student engagement and behaviour. 

Have you asked your students if they can see the writing on the board, in their own textbooks, or on devices clearly? Here, optometrists Amanda Lea and Rebecca Dang share common eye-related behaviours to look out for in the classroom and practical teacher tips for encouraging good visual behaviours at school. 

Redlands School’s new 9-week, device-free residential learning program for all year 9s is providing opportunities for integrated learning, relationship building and community mindedness. Head of Secondary School Gemma Van de Peer tells Teacher readers about why and how the program was developed, and the impact it has had on student learning and wellbeing.

‘Staff are integrating AI into their practice in ways that align with their readiness, confidence, and classroom context.’ In today’s article, Georgie Facci from Scotch College Junior School, Adelaide, shares how the school is embedding AI into the teaching and learning across the curriculum, and how staff are building their confidence and capabilities to foster a culture of empowered experimentation.

Each year, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s (AITSL) Australian Teacher Workforce Data initiative collects data from higher education providers, teacher regulatory authorities and teachers themselves on topics important to the national teacher workforce. In today’s article, Dr Gillian Clark, Alex Allan and Dr Susan-Marie Harding from AITSL provide a snapshot of some of the latest data.